Modular comfort assembly diffuser bag having integral air mover support

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a ventilation diffuser bag includes providing a perforated, occupant facing side of the diffuser bag and an air mover; molding a non-perforated, support facing side of the diffuser bag having an opening to allow air flow therethrough and including an integral air mover support, the air mover support including an endless sidewall extending from the opening for supporting the air mover, the endless sidewall including a retaining edge spaced from the non-perforated side for suspendably retaining the air mover, and a vibration dampening suspension portion; mounting the air mover in the air mover support such that the air mover engages the retaining edge; disposing an air permeable material adjacent the non-perforated side; and permanently connecting edges of the perforated, occupant facing side to edges of the non-perforated, support facing side such that the air permeable material is disposed between the perforated side and the non-perforated side.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/342,754,filed Jan. 30, 2006.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of comfort systems for occupantsupports, and more particularly to ventilation diffuser bags for vehicleseating comfort systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the art relating to vehicle occupant support comfortsystems, and particularly to occupant support ventilation systems, toseparately mount an air mover for the ventilation system into the foamseat cushion of the occupant support. Alternatively, it is also known tomount the air mover onto a frame of the occupant support. The remainderof the ventilation system is then connected in fluid communication withthe air mover downstream of the air mover output through ductwork,tubing or other similar means.

For example, a seat cushion of an occupant support may include aplurality of holes for mounting one or more air movers to the seatcushion. Each air mover may then be suspendably supported from one ormore of the holes by endless elastic members such as rubber bands toreduce the amount of vibrational noise generated by the air mover. Thismethod of mounting is tedious and time consuming. The method alsorequires the use of many individual parts, including ductwork to connectthe air mover to the ventilation system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved ventilation diffuser bag foran occupant support comfort system. The diffuser bag has an integral airmover support for supporting and mounting an air mover into the diffuserbag. The present invention eliminates the need to use duct work, tubing,etc. to connect the air mover to the diffuser bag. The present inventionalso simplifies installation of a ventilation system in an occupantsupport to a one-piece, drop-in unit, eliminating the need to separatelymount and/or suspend an air mover to a seat cushion or other portion ofthe occupant support.

More particularly, a ventilation diffuser bag for disposition on avehicle occupant support in accordance with the present inventionincludes a perforated, occupant facing side and an oppositenon-perforated, support surface facing side. The non-perforated sideincludes an opening to allow air flow into the diffuser bag. An airmover support integral with the non-perforated side includes an endlesssidewall extending from the opening for providing support for an airmover. The endless sidewall has a retaining edge spaced from thenon-perforated side for suspendably retaining the air mover within theair mover support. The non-perforated side of the diffuser bag issupportable on an occupant facing surface of a vehicle occupant support,and the air mover support extends into the occupant support.

In a specific embodiment, the endless sidewall may include a vibrationdampening suspension portion. The endless sidewall may also include astepped portion. An air mover may be received in the air mover supportand retained in the endless sidewall by the retaining edge. An airpermeable material may be disposed in the diffuser bag between theperforated side and the non-perforated side. A screen may be mounted inthe opening, the screen being disposed within the diffuser bag. Aheating element may be mounted on an outer surface of the perforatedside. The diffuser bag may be made of a plastic material such as aurethane material or similar. The diffuser bag may also optionallyinclude a lumbar support disposed in the diffuser bag between theperforated side and the non-perforated side.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle occupantsupport includes a ventilation diffuser bag allowing for circulation ofair through the bag. The diffuser bag has a perforated, occupant facingside and an opposite non-perforated, support surface facing side. Thenon-perforated side includes an opening to allow air flow into thediffuser bag. An air mover support integral with the non-perforated sideincludes an endless sidewall extending from the opening for providingsupport for an air mover. The endless sidewall includes a retaining edgespaced from the non-perforated side for suspendably retaining the airmover within the air mover support. A seat portion has an occupantfacing surface and a through hole for the air mover support of theventilation diffuser bag. The non-perforated side of the diffuser bag ismounted on the occupant facing surface of the seat portion such that theair mover support is disposed in the through hole.

A method of manufacturing a ventilation diffuser bag in accordance withthe present invention includes the steps of: providing a perforated,occupant facing side of the diffuser bag; providing an air mover;molding a non-perforated, support facing side of the diffuser bag havingan opening to allow air flow therethrough and including an integral airmover support, the air mover support including an endless sidewallextending from the opening for providing support for the air mover, theendless sidewall including a retaining edge spaced from thenon-perforated side for suspendably retaining the air mover within theair mover support; mounting the air mover in the air mover support suchthat the air mover engages the retaining edge; disposing an airpermeable material adjacent the non-perforated side; and permanentlyconnecting edges of the perforated, occupant facing side to edges of thenon-perforated, support facing side such that the air permeable materialis disposed between the perforated side and the non-perforated side.

Optionally, the method may include molding the non-perforated side usinga vacuum forming machine. Also, the step of permanently connecting theperforated side to the non-perforated side may include die-electricallywelding the perforated side to the non-perforated side. The method mayfurther include the step of laminating a heating element to an outersurface of the perforated side. The method may also include the steps ofproviding a seat portion of an occupant support having an occupantfacing surface; forming a through hole in the seat portion for the airmover support of the ventilation diffuser bag; and mounting theventilation diffuser bag to the occupant facing surface of the seatportion such that the air mover support is disposed in the through hole.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be morefully understood from the following detailed description of theinvention taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a ventilation diffuser bag in accordancewith the present invention in combination with a seat portion of avehicle occupant support;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the ventilation diffuser bag of FIG. 1 incombination with another seat portion of a vehicle occupant support;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a ventilationdiffuser bag in accordance with the present invention in combinationwith a seat portion of a vehicle occupant support; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a ventilation diffuser bag in accordancewith the present invention installed in a seat portion of a vehicleoccupant support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 10 generally indicatesa ventilation diffuser bag for disposition on a seat portion of avehicle occupant support in accordance with the present invention. Theventilation diffuser bag 10 is a “drop-in” vehicle occupant supportcomfort system that may be installed directly on a seat portion of avehicle occupant support without connecting the ventilation diffuser bagto other separate parts. The ventilation diffuser bag 10 eliminates theneed for any separate or additional airflow ductwork in the occupantsupport. The ventilation diffuser bag 10 also does not require aseparate air mover that would have to be mounted to a portion of theoccupant support.

Turning first to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the ventilation diffuser bag 10includes a perforated, occupant facing side 12 and an oppositenon-perforated, support surface facing side 14. The perforations in theperforated side 12 allow for air flow out of the bag towards an occupantseated on the occupant support. The perforated side 12 is referred to asoccupant facing for the reason that, when the diffuser bag 10 isinstalled on an occupant support, the perforated side faces an occupantthat is seated on the occupant support. Likewise, the non-perforatedside 14 is referred to as support surface facing for the reason that,when the diffuser bag 10 is installed on an occupant support, thenon-perforated side faces a support surface of the occupant support formounting of the diffuser bag to the support surface. The sides 12, 14 ofthe diffuser bag 10 may be made of a plastic material such as a urethanematerial or similar, or a material that is permeable like a felt or afleece type of material.

The non-perforated side 14 includes an opening 16 to allow air flow intothe diffuser bag 10. In the embodiment shown, the opening is generallycircular, although other shapes are within the scope of the invention.An air mover support 18 integral with the non-perforated side 14includes an endless sidewall 20 extending from the opening 16 forproviding support for an air mover 22. The air mover 22 may be a fan,blower, or similar device capable of creating a flow of air. The airmover support 18 may be molded together with the non-perforated side 14,or may be separately molded and then adhered or die-electrically weldedto the non-perforated side 14 around the opening 16. If the air moversupport 18 is separately molded, it may be made from a material such asgel silicon, rubber, a urethane material, or similar. In thisembodiment, the endless sidewall 20 is generally tubular and generallycircular in cross-section. The endless sidewall 20 has a retaining edge24 spaced from the non-perforated side 14 for suspendably retaining theair mover 22 within the air mover support 18. The air mover 22 isreceived in the air mover support 18 and retained in the endlesssidewall 20 by the retaining edge 24. The non-perforated side 14 of thediffuser bag 10 is supportable on an occupant facing surface 26 of aseat portion 28 a vehicle occupant support, and the air mover support 18extends into the occupant support. The seat portion 28 may be a foam bunor similar. In FIG. 1, the seat portion 28 is shown as a lower seatcushion portion of the occupant support. Alternatively, in FIG. 2, theseat portion 29 is shown as an upper back rest portion of the occupantsupport having an occupant facing surface 30.

The endless sidewall 20 may include a vibration dampening suspensionportion 32. The suspension portion 32 may be a corrugated portion of theendless sidewall 20 that can expand and contract to absorb vibrationssuch as those caused by an air mover 22 held by the air mover support18. The suspension portion 32 is also configured to allow formultidirectional movement of the air mover support 18. The endlesssidewall 20 may also include a stepped portion 34.

The diffuser bag 10 may optionally include more than one air moversupport 18 and correspondingly, more than one air mover 22, each airmover 22 being received and retained in an individual air mover support18. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the diffuser bag 10includes two air mover supports 18 and likewise two air movers 22.

An air permeable material 36, such as an air permeable fabric, may bedisposed in the diffuser bag 10 between the perforated side 12 and thenon-perforated side 14. The air permeable material 36 provides for aneven distribution of air throughout the diffuser bag 10. A screen 38 maybe mounted in the opening 16 inside of the diffuser bag 10. For example,the screen 38 may be supported by the stepped portion 34 of the airmover support 18. The screen 38 may also be supported around the edge ofthe opening 16 by a flexible and/or adhesive support ring 40 such as arubber ring. The screen 38 may be a plastic injection molded member thatis mounted to the inside of the diffuser bag 10 over the opening 16 withan adhesive such as a hot-melt adhesive, a double coated adhesive, orsimilar.

A heating element 42 may be mounted on an outer surface 44 of theperforated side 12. For example, the heating element 42 may be laminatedonto the outer surface 44 of the perforated side 12, although othersimilar mounting means, such as a double sided adhesive or web adhesive,are within the scope of the invention. The heating element 42 issufficiently flexible to adjust to the contours of the diffuser bag 10and an occupant support to which the diffuser bag may be mounted. Theheating element 42 may be of the type comprising a permeable carriermesh material and a carbon material carried by the permeable meshmaterial. In one embodiment, the heating element 42 may be atwo-dimensional heating element having a textile base material, such as,for example, a nonwoven or a textile filament material which acts as acarrier for electrically conductive contacts and heating conductors thattouch one another and form an electric connection. Sending of anelectric current through the conductive contacts thereby sends a currentthrough the heating conductors, producing heat and warming the heatingelement. Air moved through the diffuser bag 10 and out of theperforations in the perforated side 12 then passes through the permeablecarrier material of the heating element 42, warming the air andimproving delivery of heat to an occupant seated in the occupantsupport.

The diffuser bag 10 may be manufactured in the following manner. Theperforated, occupant facing side 12 of the diffuser bag 10 may be moldedor may be cut from a sheet of material such as a plastics material orsimilar that is perforated to form a plurality of small air holes. Theair mover 22 may be obtained by modifying an existing air mover to bereceivable in the air mover support 18 or by original fabrication of anair mover sized to fit in the air mover support 18. Further, thenon-perforated, support facing side 14 of the diffuser bag 10 may bemolded using a vacuum-forming machine or other similarly suitablemolding device. As described above, the air mover support 18 may beformed as part of the mold for the non-perforated side 14 or may beseparately molded and then permanently connected to the non-perforatedside 14 using an adhesive or by welding such as die-electric welding.

Next, the air mover 22 is disposed in and suspendably retained by theair mover support 18 such that the air mover 22 engages the retainingedge 24 of the endless sidewall 20. Then, the screen 38 and if necessarythe support ring 40 may be mounted to the non-perforated side 14opposite the retaining edge 24 to cover the opening 16. A hot-melt ordouble coated adhesive may be used to mount the screen 38. The airpermeable material 36 is disposed adjacent the non-perforated side 14 sothat the air permeable material 36 may be disposed on the inside of thediffuser bag 10. The non-perforated side 14 may include a recess 46sized to receive the air permeable material 36 and to facilitatedisposition of the air permeable material. Then, edges of the perforatedside 12 are permanently connected to edges of the non-perforated side 14such that the air permeable material 36 is disposed between theperforated side 12 and the non-perforated side 14. The sides 12, 14 ofthe diffuser bag 10 may be permanently connected by die-electricalwelding or by any other suitable means of permanent connection.

Optionally, if the diffuser bag 10 includes a heating element 42, theheating element may be directly mounted to the outer surface 44 of theperforated side 12 by lamination, web adhesive, a double sided adhesive,a glue adhesive, or similar.

To mount the diffuser bag 10 to an occupant facing surface 26 of a seatportion 28 of an occupant support, through hole(s) 48 must be present inthe seat portion 28 for each air mover support 18 of the diffuser bag10. If the seat portion 28 is not originally made with a through hole orholes 28, a through hole 28 must be formed in the seat portion 28 foreach air mover support 18 by removing pieces of the seat portion 28 inthe shape of the through hole(s) 28. The diffuser bag 10 may then bemounted to the seat portion 28 by placing double sided adhesive, Velcro,or similar on the non-perforated side 14, disposing the non-perforatedside towards the occupant facing surface 26, disposing the air moversupport(s) 18 in the through hole(s) 48, and adhering the non-perforatedside 14 to the occupant facing surface 26 of the seat portion 28.

The air mover 22 and the heating element 42 may be electricallyconnected to a main harness (not shown) of the vehicle occupant supportby a harness 50. The air mover 22 and heating element 42 may each beseparately controlled by a controller such as a module 52. The module 52for the air mover 22 may be disposed inside of the diffuser bag 10.Alternatively, a single control module may control both the air mover 22and the heating element 42.

When the ventilation diffuser bag 10 is in operation, the air mover 22draws air from the environment surrounding the occupant support into thediffuser bag 10. As air enters the diffuser bag 10, the air permeablematerial 36 inside of the diffuser bag 10 functions to evenly spread theair throughout the bag. The air exits the diffuser bag 10 through theperforations in the perforated, occupant facing side 12. If the heatingelement 42 is kept off, the air exiting the diffuser bag 10 passes by anoccupant seated in the vehicle occupant support, cooling the occupant.If the heating element is on, the air exiting the diffuser bag 10 iswarmed by the heating element 42. The warmed air passes to the occupantof the vehicle occupant support, which in combination with the directheat of the heating element 42 warms the occupant. The module(s) adjustthe rotational speed of the air mover 22 and the current flow throughthe heating element 42 depending upon the desired temperature for theoccupant of the vehicle occupant support. Another alternativeoperational setting is to operate the heating element without runningthe air mover, warming the occupant by conduction alone.

Turning to FIG. 3, in an alternative embodiment, a diffuser bag 110 inaccordance with the present invention may additionally include a lumbarsupport 154 disposed in the diffuser bag 110 between the perforated side112 and the non-perforated side 114. The lumbar support 154 may includeinternal baffles (not shown) and an air inlet 156 that may be connectedto an air pump for inflating and deflating the lumber support 154. Thediffuser bag 110 may also include any of the features found in the firstembodiment 10, wherein similar reference numerals represent similarfeatures. The diffuser bag 110 including heating element 142 and lumbarsupport 154 is mountable on an occupant facing surface 130 of a vehicleoccupant support 129. The integration of a lumbar support 154 in thediffuser bag 110 allows for the installation of the diffuser bag 110,associated air mover 122, heating element 142, and lumbar support 154 inone simple unit.

Although the invention has been described by reference to specificembodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be madewithin the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described.Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to thedescribed embodiments, but that it have the full scope defined by thelanguage of the following claims.

1. A method of manufacturing a ventilation diffuser bag, the methodcomprising the steps of: providing a perforated, occupant facing side ofsaid diffuser bag; providing an air mover; molding a non-perforated,support facing side of said diffuser bag having an opening to allow airflow therethrough and including an integral air mover support, said airmover support including an endless sidewall extending from said openingfor providing support for said air mover, said endless sidewallincluding a retaining edge spaced from said non-perforated side forsuspendably retaining said air mover within said air mover support, andalso including a vibration dampening suspension portion; mounting saidair mover in said air mover support such that said air mover engagessaid retaining edge; disposing an air permeable material adjacent saidnon-perforated side; permanently connecting edges of said perforated,occupant facing side to edges of said non-perforated, support facingside such that said air permeable material is disposed between saidperforated side and said non-perforated side.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein said non-perforated side is molded using a vacuum formingmachine.
 3. The method of claim 1, including the step of laminating aheating element to an outer surface of said perforated side.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the step of permanently connecting saidperforated side to said non-perforated side includes die-electricallywelding said perforated side to said non-perforated side.
 5. The methodof claim 1, including the steps of: providing a seat portion of anoccupant support, said seat portion having an occupant facing surface;forming a through hole in said seat portion for said air mover supportof said ventilation diffuser bag; and mounting said ventilation diffuserbag to said occupant facing surface of said seat portion such that saidair mover support is disposed in said through hole.